Boris or Ken - ramblings of a undecided voter - please help

[K20]

I want to vote for Ken (despite him being the labour candidate) again as I think he has worked hard to give London a modern identity and increase tourism, promoting London with good advertising and events.

Why should Boris the Buffoon ride his coat tails and be given all Kens good work to flag wave as his own? Crime, Environment, Housing, Greenbelt etc, obviously whoever is chosen will do their best for London - its all hot air to win votes, these type of changes will be made by whoever is London Mayor.

I feel I voted Ken in with gusto a few years ago on a wave of London Pride (not the beer) and that I should give him the job again. He's fearless of Government and will not be dictated to unlike ......

opinions please

I agree - Ken and Sian

Oh god, how have we got to this point of having to choose between THEM? Couldn't anyone come up with anyone more convincing?
Ken is corrupt.
Boris is a moron.
Brian isn't up to the job.
Don't even know who the others are but they['re not going to win.
I'll be embarassed whoever I vote for....
I despair......

Apparently if you want Ken to get in rather than Boris, you shouldn't cast a second choice at all. It's not compulsory.

Orangina - go for Sian

she is likely to be my second vote.

She was almost alone in the hilarious Book of Loons we got in spelling out what her policies are. Nice and clear. Some of them a leetle radical, but she is Green

After the Thatcher years, I just cannot bring myself to vote Tory, ever. Boris Johnson is just the last straw.

If you go for Sian, you won't get Sian. You'll get Boris or Ken. Which is fine if that's what you want but if you strongly don't want one or the other then it's a wasted vote, it's that close now.

Vote for Ken. No question.

Re: the routemasters, none of the candidates will bring them back, because they aren't being made any more. There are quite good reasons for them not being made, despite being attractive. A number of people died every year falling off the back either when jumping on or off. They were also very inefficient.

Anyway - Ken gets my vote for the following reasons:

I believe that he is committed to continuing to build London as a world beating city.

I love the oyster card, the freedom pass for my mother, free transport for children. I agree with the congestion charge and other initiatives.

I genuinely believe that Ken is making more provision for children and youth services within London. The loss of the GLC and subsequent local council cuts stripped the capital of youth programmes and entertainment, which has had a terrible impact upon the prospects and leisure time of young people.

Ken knows London, and loves it. Boris is too west-centric in my opinion (by west I mean west london).

Affordable housing and planning. Ken has done a massive amount in developing the London Plan and championing the reuse of brownfield sites to provide affordable housing of a mix of unit sizes to cater for families as well as couples and single households.

The fact that Ken is back in the labour party means not a jot to me. He is not and has never been a tool of the party,.

I am terrified though that Boris will win.

I find it hilarious (well, frightening, actually) that people are even contemplating voting in such an ill qualified, laughable idiot as Boris Johnson. It's taking 'protest voting' too far. ken isn't perfect - not by a long shot - but he is passionate about London and has the guts and drive to push through change. He's proved that. What has Boris ever proved...about anything?

The idea of voting in Boris as a protest makes me shudder too. I mean, who is goign to suffer as a result, other than ourselves? Boris has no experience, no passion for the city, no great love of London and represents a party that was anti-London, anti-mayor, anti-self government of London.

I thought this was a baby name thread at first glance... I was thinking 'christ... neither!'

Having to apologise to the people of Papua New Guinea and the city of Liverpool suggests to me that while he might not be racist, he has an appalling lack of ability to self-edit.

I don't live in London anymore, But I think I would vote for Brian Paddick. He seems genuine.
I actually get the feeling that Boris and Ken are mates behind the scenes, enjoying slap up meals and backslapping

PMSL@Disenchanted!

I was just talking to DH about how the voting system works. He was explaining that there is no point putting one of the small parties (Green, BNP, Christian Alliance) as your second preference as they will have been discounted from the race before second preferences are counted. However, the big candidates really need your second preference votes.

There is a real danger BNP could rank 4th after BoJo/Ken/Paddick. For this reason I am voting Green first and then my main candidate second. This is the best way to stop BNP ranking 4th and giving London a terrible reputation (it also signals to the big candidates that Green issues are important).

Just looking at the leaflet now, don't fancy any of the green plans

I don't think Boris would be a disaster

Any Monster Raving Loony candidates? I loathe Ken. He should be kept safe out of the publics' way with his newts.

have just seen some mad candidate in a purple bus bellowing over a loud speaker (WHY do they think this will work? THere's so much drilling and building work, you can't hear what they are saying so he just looked like some bald bloke, screaming nonsense lol). Turns out it was some Christian Alliance candidate.

It's going to be close this, isn't it.

Are we supposed to have voters cards? I can't remember if we have received ours.

You don't sound very undecided, K20?

Ken is too hideous to contemplate. Get him out.

I don't think I will be very happy with my vote this time around, it will be more of convenience/ practicality than real conviction I fear

Well I'm voting for Brian. And I think Sian gets my second preference. Not sure about that though. People should use their second preferences for the lesser of the two evils, IMO.

You don't need voting cards.

Friday'schild - there is no point giving Sian your second vote. All the small candidates will have been ruled out by the time second preference votes get counted. So your second preference will literally be disregarded.

So to stop Boris we should just cast a single vote for Ken?

I don't think so IB, but then I am crazy with irritation because I don't have a vote so I might be wrong. So long as you vote for Ken first or second preference, your vote should make a difference.

God I'd gnaw my arm off to be able to vote in an election in which my vote would actually count for something...